IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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2.0 


1.8 


11-25  11111.4   IIIIII.6 


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CIHM/JCMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 

1980 


Technical  Notes  /  Notes  techniques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Physical 
features  of  this  copy  which  may  alter  any  of  the 
images  in  the  reproduction  are  checked  below. 


0 

□ 

n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvertures  de  couleur 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gSographiques  en  couleur 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^colordes,  tachet^es  ou  piqudes 


Tight  binding  (may  cause  shadows  or 
distortion  along  interior  margin)/ 
Reliure  serr6  (peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou 
de  la  distortion  le  long  de  la  marge 
intdrieure) 


L'*nstitut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Certains 
d6fauts  susceptibles  de  nuire  d  la  qualit6  de  la 
reproduction  sont  notis  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 


V 


s/ 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


Coloured  plates/ 
Planches  en  couleur 


Show  through/ 
Transparence 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 


Th 
po 
of 
fill 


Th 
cc 
or 
ap 

Th 
fil 
ini 


M 
in 
UF 
be 
fo 


>/ 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires 


Original  copy  restored  and  laminated. 


Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  bibliographiques 


□ 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


n 


Pagination  incorrect/ 
Erreurs  de  pagination 


D 

■mmhmw 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverturn  manque 


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Pages  missing/ 

Des  pages  manquent 


Maps  missing/ 

Des  cartes  gdographiques  manquent 


□ 


Plates  missing/ 

Des  planches  manquent 


D 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  .^uppl6mentaires 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  ^t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  I'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche  shall 
contain  the  symbol  —^(meaning  CONTINUED"), 
or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"),  whichever 
applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  appa'aTtra  sur  la  der- 
nidre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  seion  le  cas: 
le  symbols  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le  symbole 
V  signifie  "FIN". 


The  original  copy  was  borrowed  from,  and 
filmed  with,  the  kind  consent  of  the  following 
institution: 

Library  of  the  Public 

Archives  of  Canada 

Maps  or  plates  too  large  to  be  entirely  included 
in  one  exposure  are  filmed  beginning  in  the 
upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to  right  and  top  to 
bottom,  as  many  frames  as  required.  The 
following  diagrams  illustrate  the  method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
gdrdrositd  de  I'dtablissement  prdteur 
suivant  : 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 

publiques  du  Canada 

Les  cartes  ou  les  planches  trop  grandes  pour  dtre 
reproduites  en  un  seul  clichd  sont  filmdes  i 
partir  de  Tangle  sup6rieure  gauche,  de  gauche  d 
droite  et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Le  diagramme  suivant 
illustre  la  m^thode  : 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

UBfiES 


;  ■<^''' 


COMMERCIAL   ONIOI 


BETWEEN    THE 


^ 


y\ 


MITED:  STATES  AND  QA^M)A. 


TWO   TI^EKS  FT^dM-  MwhtD    ATK:^  "IS'^y.    EBO.,    Oh     nOHTfyi 
'::/^'"KEiSPONSl!:  TO  nESOfjlfTIO^  QJf  'IRE  .\BW.  lOI'Ji 


m 


ooiiu2:3m::sx^c:;x.aji-..,    T.Ti«rxoi>T   x:>ootJ'J?*iriT^-rT    isi-o.   v. 


-♦••♦r^- 


E  It  /^  ST  as   W,lMiS^3i4    MKO  A. 


W^' 


COMMERCIAL  UNION 


BETWEEN    THE 


VWm)  STATES  AND  CANADA. 


TWO   LETTERS   FliOM  EDWARD    ATKIXSOX,   ESQ.,    OF  BOSTOy, 

IN  liESPONSE  TO  RESOLUTIONS  OF  TEE  NEW  YORK 

CHAMBER   OF  COMMERCE. 


-»♦♦- 


NEW   YORK: 
EKASTUS   WIMAN,    314    BROADWAY. 


/ 


COMMERCIAL    UNION 


BETWEEN    THE 


UNITED    STATES    AND    CANADA. 


■»-♦- 


At  the  rcfjular  monthly  meetiug  of  tlie  Xew  York  Chamber 
of  Commerce,  held  in  November,  the  following  Preamble  and 
Kesolutions  were  unanimously  adoi)te(l : 

"Whereas,  Tno  Right  Honorable  Joseph  Chamberlain,  the 
representative  of  the  government  of  Great  Britain  on  the 
Fishery  Commission,  in  a  speech  delivered  before  he  left 
England,  is  reported  to  have  said  as  follows :  ^^  The  arrange- 
'^  ment  between  the  colonies  and  Great  Britain  is  essentially  a. 
'^  temporary  one.  It  cannot  remain  as  it  is  ....  Already  you 
^^  have  in  Canada— the  greatest  of  all  the  colonies — an  agitation 
''  for  what  is  called  Commercial  Union  with  the  United  States, 
'^  Commercial  Union  with  the  United  States  means  free  trade 
''between  America  and  the  Dominion,  and  a  protective  tariff 
"  against  the  mother  country.  If  Canada  desires  that,  Canada 
'•  can  have  it;"  and, 

Whereas,  On  a  subsequent  occasion,  the  right  honorable 
gentleman  further  said,  that  ''  Commercial  Union  with  the 
"  United  States  meant  that  Canada  was  to  give  preference  to 
'•  every  article  of  manufacture  from  the  United  States  over  the 
'-'  manufactures  fiom  Great  Britain.  If  the  people  of  Canada 
''  desired  an  arrangement  of  that  kind,  ho  did  not  doubt  that 
''  they  would  be  able  to  secure  it.  He  did  not  think  anybody 
''  in  England  would  prevent  such  an  arrangement  by  force ;  but 
''  he  remarked  that  in  that  case  all  the  advantages  of  the 
"  slender  tie  that  bound.  Canada  to  England  would  disappear, 
"  so  far  as  England  was  concerned  j  and  it  w^as  not  likely  that 


roMMEJiCiAL  uyiox  WITH  Canada. 


*^  the  people  of  Great  Britain  would  ooutiiino  much  lonj^ci  to 
"  sustain  tlie  obligations  and  reBpojisibililies  <»t'  a  relalioLsiMj), 
''all  the  reciprocal  benefits  of  Mliicli  bad  been  wiUidrawii ;" 
juid, 

Whcrcaftj  The  foregoing  expression  of  opinion  by  an  eniineut 
public  man,  in  a  high  official  position,  is  an  important  con- 
tribution to  the  knowledge  of  the  members  of  this  Chamber, 
aiul  as  it  is  supplemented  with  information  from  Canatla,  that 
a  strong  movement  i«  iii  progress  there  favoring  the  closest 
possible  comm(;rcial  relations  with  the  United  rftates,  it  nould 
seem  to  be  the  duty  of  this  ('liamber,  without  any  regard 
whatever  to  i)r)]itical  or  territorial  considerations,  to ,_^ni yesti- 
gate  the  possibility  of  a  greatly  enlarged  extension  of  the 
commerce  of  this  city  and  country  into  tlie  nu'therii  half  of 
this  Continent ;  and, 

Whereas,  It  is  most  desirable  that  the  Canadian  Fishery 
question,  which  for  over  a  hun<lred  years  has  periodically 
threatened  to  disturb  the  peaceful  relations  existing  between 
Great  r>ritain  and  this  country,  should  be  settled  on  the 
broad  aud  enduring  basis  of  a  mutual  interest,  resuJting  from 
an  eidarged  connnercial  relation  b(^tween  C.uiada  and  the 
United  States  ;  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  live  members  of  this  Chamber 
be  appointed  by  tlie  jnesident  to  investigate  the  possibility  of 
a  material  expansion  of  our  commerce  in  this  direction,  by 
inviting  arguments  for  and  against  Commercial  Union  with 
Canada,  and  documentary  evidence  as  to  the  extent  and  pros- 
pects of  the  trade  between  the  two  countries;  and  to  report  to 
this  chamber  such  recomnu^.ndations  for  its  action  as  will 
enable  it  to  contribute  its  inlluence,  not  onlj"  to  the  early 
adjustment  of  the  Fishery  question,  but  to  aid  in  procuring 
such  legislation  as  will  promote  the  interests  of  the  commerce 
of  this  country,  should  such  action  be  deemed  desirable. 

The  committee  api)ointed  by  the  President  were  as  follows : 
Messrs.  Francis  B.  Thuiber,  Chairman;  Jackson  y.  ShuJtz, 
Jacob  Wendell,  (lustave  Schwab,  and  James  P.  Wallace.  In 
response  to  circulars  sent  out  by  th<^  committee,  the  following, 
among  other  letters,  have  been  received : 


to 


.)? 


COMMERCIAL  UNION  WITH  CANADA. 


TWO    LETTERS    JTiOM    EJ)WARD    ATKINSOX,    OF    BOSTON. 


l^osTOX,  NovEMnKU  10,  1887. 

1  have  rocoivod  yonr  letter  of  Nov.  7,  asking  an  expression  of  loy  views 
npon  tlio  oxpedicncy  of  a  Commercial  Union  between  the  United  States  and 
Canada. 

It  might  snfTico  in  ansAver  to  put  the  question  in  another  form: — What 
j}ossthle  ohjection  can  there  he  to  a  commercial  union  between  the  United  Stales 
anil  Canada?  Ik  not  one  country  the  complement  of  the  other?  Does  not 
Canada  x>ro^1nep  numy  articles  whicli  woiihl  be  ex^ohanged  in  very  largo 
quantities  for  otlier  articles  proilucod  in  the  United  States,  if  tliere  Avero  no 
artificial  obstructions  to  the  traffic  ?  Wouhl  not  this  excliange  profit  the 
people  of  both  countries  I  Is  any  commerce  permanent,  \uiloss  both  parties 
gain  by  the  exchange  of  product  for  x>roduct. 

Or,  the  ([uostion  might  l)o  put  in  tliis  way: — Let  it  bo  assumed  that  in  tho 
treaty  of  peace,  after  the  Kevolution,  tho  Trovinces  of  Nova  Scotia,  New 
Brunswick,  Cape  Breton,  and  L'rince  Edward  Island,  had  been  ceded  to 
or  taken  by  the  United  States  as  a  part  of  their  territory.  Snl)sequontly, 
when  the  confederation  of  the  L^nited  States  failed  because  of  the  obstruc- 
tions to  commerce  among  the  Confederated  States,  and  whei)  the  present 
Constitution  was  adopted,  would  there  have  been  any  reason  to  maintain 
these  obstructions  between  the  Provinces  named  and  the  rest  of  the  States, 
which  would  not  have  applied  to  the  other  sectional  divisions?  Has  not 
tho  prosperity  of  the  United  States  been  greatly  promoted  by  the  provision 
of  the  Constitution  that  tho  Commercial  Union  of  the  United  States  should 
bo  absolutely  free  from  obstruction  ? 

We  can  readily  imagine  what  would  have  been  the  conditions  of  the 
territory  which  now  constitutes  the  United  States  had  the  Hudson  River 
been  the  border  line  between  one  nationality  and  another;  had  the  Potomac 
separated  the  Middle  States  from  the  Southern  Atlantic  Stares  ;  had  Florida 
remained  a  Spanish  colony;  had  not  tho  fjouisiana  jjurchase  been  completed, 
and  had  the  vast  territory  beyond  the  Mississipi  remained  under  the  domin- 
ion of  another  power.  Should  we  not  have  been  cursed  with  obstructions 
to  the  mutual  service  or  commercial  union  of  these  sections  each  to 
the  other?  Might  we  not  have  been  divided  up  as  Germany  was 
formerly,  into  little  petty  kingdoms  each  armed  against  the  other,  until  by 
way  of  the  Zollverein  treaty  of  commercial  union  the  way  was  made  clear 
for  consolidation,  as  the  German  Empire  has  been  consolidated  ?  Might  we 
not  have  been  subject  to  the  curse  of  standing  armies  like  those  which  now 
eat  out  the  very  heart  of  the  Continent  of  Eiirope?    Might  we  not  have 


COMMFRCIAL  UNIOX  WITH  CANADA. 


been  in  the  position  of  tlio  Statos  of  Western  Europe  (aside  from  Ru88ia  and 
Austria),  iu  Avliich  staniling  urrniea  and  navies  costing  $400,000,000  to 
$500,000,000  a.  year  are  nocossary  to  maintain  tlio  harriers  at^aiust  niutuol 
tratlic,  at  which  harriois  a  tax  of  $:>00,UOO,000  to  $100,000,000  is  annually 
collected,  to  b«  vasted  upon  the  armit'S  "which,  except  for  such  barriers, 
■would  not  be  needed  ? 

Suppose  for  an  instant  that  all  these  countries  of  Western  Europe  had, 
long  since  adopted  such  a  Zollverein  treaty  or  conunercial  union  as  ii  now 
proposed  betwfen  tlio  Empires  of  Gennauy  and  Austriii,  and  tlie  Kingdom 
of  Italy ;  could  the  Franco-Prussijin  war  liave  occuried  t 

What  need,  then,  for  the  money  tax  at  the  border  lines?  What  need 
except  to  collect  this  money  tax  for  the  worse  than  money  tax — the  hlood 
tax  of  the  army  itself?  for  the  withdrawal  of  al;  tho  young  men  from  time 
to  tlmo,  and  from  year  to  year,  at  the  most  productive  portions  of  their 
lives,  to  waste  y^ars  iu  preparation  for  war,  more  costly  than  actual  war 
itself,  while  the  women  sweep  the  streets  and  do  the  scavenger  work  of  the 
cities,  or  mix  tho  mortar  for  the  masons  avIio  lay  the  walls  iu  the  city 
buildings, — or  toil  most  arduously  iu  the  fields,  sometimes  even  yoked  with 
catth)  to  draw  the  plough  ? 

What  would  have  been  the  present  condition  of  this  country  had  the 
Southern  Confederacy  succeeded  in  their  effort  to  secede,  and  had  the 
Potomac  become  the  Ehinc  upon  whose  borders  two  standing  armies  would 
have  been  required  to  watch  each  other,  lest  tho  people  of  the  two  sections 
ahould  exchange  services,  or  should  enjoy  the  benefits  of  mutual  commerce  f 

Have  not/  the  Southern  people  themselves  so  fully  realized  the  benefits  of 
their  present  condition  and  of  the  Union,  of  the  States,  that  it  would  to-day 
take  a  larger  armj-  to  force  them  out  of  the  Union,  or  to  put  back  upon  them 
the  burden  of  slavery,  than  it  did  to  maintain  the  Union  and  to  establish 
liberty? 

In  what  consists  this  benefit?  Is  it  not  in  the  diversity  of  Southern 
occupations  to  which  liberty  was  necessary,  and  iu  the  commercial  union 
of  the  whole  Nation  ?  * 

Or  again.  Let  us  consider  present  facts.  The  last  time  I  met  the  late 
Governor  Andrew  was  at  a  dinner  party,  shortly  after  his  return  from  an 
extended  tour  in  these  maritime  provinces  cf  Canada,  on,  business  connected 
with  certain  matters  pertaining  to  the  Maine  Central  Railroad,  to  which 
corporation  the  State  of  Massachusetts  had  given  certain  claims.  Being 
asked  by  one  of  the  guests  to  give  his  general  impressions  of  Nova  Scotia, 
'New  Bruuswicl-  ud  Cape  Breton  he  re  pled  :  "You  may  take  into  consid- 
eration the  two  States  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania ;  compute  their 
potential  or  productive  power  in  agriculture  and  mineral  development; 
add  to  these  resources  of  the  coast-line  fisheries,  and  you  will  then  have  a 
reasonable  comprehension  of  what  these  Provinces  may  become." 

Suppose  the  present  little  petty  contention  regarding  the  fisheries  should 
culminate  in  a  war  in  which  we  should  conquer  these  Provinces — take  them 
and  hold  thom — would  it  then  he  judicious  to  unite  them  on  even  terms  in 
commerce  with  the  other  States?    But  it  is  not  suitable  even  to  imagine 


COMMERCIAL  UNION  WITH  C J 2^ ADA. 


snch  wickedness  and  stupidity  as  war  growing  out  of  a  petty  qiiestion  like 
that  iff  the  fisheries. 

Take  another  ultoruativo.  Tlio  j^opulation  of  these  Provinces  is  some- 
thing less  than  a  aiillion.  The  debt  of  Ciinada,  including  these  ProvinccB,  Ib 
something  less  than  fifty  dollars  per  head.  The  people  of  those  Proviuoes 
have  received  little  benefit  from  the  great  railway  projects  iu  the  far-distant 
West,  on  which  this  money  has  been  chietly  expended;  but  they  must  share 
Ihe  hurden,  although  they  are  united  with  the  rest  of  Canada  only  by  a 
political  j-ailway  constructed  through  a  wilden^ess,  which  will  not  pay  the 
cost  of  its  own  operation,  fiuppose  ihe  United  Stairs  should  buy  them  at  a  sum 
equal  to  their  share  of  the  debt  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  say  forty  to  fifty  mil- 
lion dollars.  Would  it  be  a  good  bargain  for  us  y  It  would  cost  only  five 
mor  ths'  surplus  revenue.  Would  it  not  be  a  good  bargain  for  the  Provinces  ? 
Would  it  not  be  a  good  bargain  for  the  people  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada, 
to  enable  the  Dominion  to  complete  the  remainder  of  its  railway  system, 
without  incurring  any  further  dangor  of  loss  of  credit  f  Suppose  this  pur- 
chase  we^.-e  accomplished;  would  it  not  then  be  judicious  to  remove  all  obstruc- 
tionp  to  trade  between  the  peojdo  of  the  Provinces  and  the  people  of  the  rest 
of  the  United  States,  in  which  Nation  they  would  first  become  Territories 
and  then  States?  Why  not  now,  remove  these  obstacles  by  commercial 
union  or  reciprocity  T 

Let  US  look  at  this  matter  historically.  From  1854  to  1868  the  people  of 
the  United  States  were  united  with  those  of  Canada  in  commercial  union 
under  a  treaty  of  reciprocity.  I',  that  iaterval  the  United  States  were  en- 
gaged in  a  civil  war.  Canada  was  on  our  flank.  Every  effort  was  made 
by  the  Southern  Confc'-^^acy  to  break  up  the  friendly  relations  existing 
between  the  two  conn*  i  Yet  not  one  single  soldier  was  called  for  to 

guard  our  Canadian  frouvici'.  Not  one  single  ship  was  required  to  protect 
our  harbors  from  Canadian  Alabamas.  Where  traflfio  is  free,  armies  become 
useless.  What  use  of  a  navy  to  guard  harbors  against  friendly  and 
mutually  profitable  commerce? 

That  treaty  terminated.  What  has  occurred  since T  Loss;  antagonism; 
obstructiou ;  and  now  each  party  has  begun  to  arm  its  ships  against  the 
other.  Lase,  wicked,  and  almost  insuflerable  as  war  would  be,  yet  the 
first  stops  which  might  lead  to  war  have  already  been  taken.      For  what 

irposel  In  order  to  maintain  artificial  barriers  forbidding  mu  ual 
service  between  the  people  of  Canada  and  of  the  United  States.  What 
is  this  service  ?  Last  year  the  imports  of  fish  into  the  United  States 
were  valued  at  two  and  a  quarter  million  dollars.  We  taxed  the  fish 
five  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Who  pays  it?  Mainly  the  working 
people  of  New  England,  who  nf.ed  the  fish  most,  and  who 
have  the  least  wherewith  to  pay  for  it!  In  the  same  j)eriod 
we  irai)orted  about  the  same  value  of  hens'  eggs.  We  did  not  tax  them. 
Why  not?  Are  not  the  domestic  hens  entiijled  to  protection  against  the 
pauper  hens  of  Canada?  If  it  is  necessary  to  tiix  fish  and  potatoes,  why 
not  tax  eggs  ?  True,  the  working  people  of  New  England  would  pay  the 
tax.    If  each  person  in  iho  Lfi:ited  States  enjoys  as  good  a  supply  of  hen's 


I  ll    ' 


« 


COMMERCIAL  INIOy  WITH  CANADA. 


I  ■ 


eg^fl  as  the  o])eratives(lwellii)g  in  the  factory  Ijoarding-houses  of  Xew  Eng- 
laml,  the  production  of  hen'.s  eggs  is  one  of  the  most  important  branches  of 
onr  domestic  iudnstry.  These  factory  operatives  consume  one  iig<^  every 
other  day.  Suppose  we  call  the  present  jiopulation  of  the  United  States, 
iiuniherlug  over  sixty  million,  e<iual  to  fifty  million  adults.  SM[i[)Ose  "\ve 
servo  each  adult  with  one  ege  every  other  day,  say  ht'teeu  dozen  a  veur,  at 
fifteen  cents  a  dozen,  we  find  then  that  the  egg  product  of  the  domet-tic  hen 
is  worth  about  one  hundred  and  twelve  million  five  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars ($112,500,000)  a  yv.ar — more  than  douLdo  the  value  of  our  silvtrjiro- 
duct;  about  fifty  per  cent,  in  excess  of  the  value  of  our  wool  clip;  nearly, 
if  not  equal  in  value  even  to  the  excessive  product  of  pig  iron  of  the  present 
year.  l">oes  any  one  propose  to  protect  the  domestic  hen  by  a  duty  on 
Canadian  eggs?  (Perhaps  sonu^  geese  may  do  so.)  If  not,  then  wliy  tax 
Canadian  fish  and  ])otatoes  ?  We  imported  last  year  abo^it  six  hutidred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars  ($()50,000)  worth  of  potatoes;  we  taxed  thetn  two 
hundred  and  ninety-two  thousand  dcdlars  (.t2!)2,0(K)).  A  few  yetus  ago, 
when  the  crop  of  potatoes  in  New  Enj^land  was  very  bhorb,  the  pectple  paid 
in  that  year  a  tax  on  Canadian  and  Irish  poratoes  of  over  twelve  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars  ($1,250,000.)  All  these  taxes  on  fish,  potatoes, 
meats,  and  other  provisions  which  Canada  provides  for  tis,  enter  directly 
into  the  cost  of  tlio  mannfii during  and  r  ■  'ihanical  arts  mi  the  United  States, 
chietly  of  New  England.  Does  any  lanuer  gain?  Not  one  cent.  I'his 
duty  upon  Canadian  food  si  uply  extends  the  area  of  railway  carxiages. 
It  is  Avasted  on  hauling  meats  and  potatoes  longer  distances  by  railway. 

Lot  us  return  to  the  fisheries.  Tlie  late  Professor  Spencer  F.  Baird  once 
told  me  that  the  (luantity  of  fish  take  from  the  ocean  for  the  supply  of 
human  wants  was  literally  uo  more  tL  in  equal  to  a  drop  in  a  bucket  of 
water,  compared  to  the  multitude  of  fish  which  the  multitudiuous  seas 
stand  ready  to  give  up  for  our  use.  Could  these  fish  be  diverted  in  the  water, 
from  the  shores  of  Canada  to  the  harbors  of  New  Englaml,  should  we  erect 
a  barrier  at  the  mouth  of  every  harbor  to  i)revent  them  from  entering  in 
full  measure  ?  If  not,  why  do  we  erect  a  barrier  to  prevent  their  being 
brought  in  UPON  the  water  t  Who  objects?  Is  it  the  man  who  says  that  the 
American  fisherman  should  do  that  work,  and  not  the  inhabitant  of  Nova 
Scotia,  New  Brunswick  or  Cape  Breton  ?  Then  make  it  a  penal  ofl'ence  for 
the  owner  of  a  fishing  smack  in  Glouceister  or  in  Portland  to  employ  the 
fishermen  of  these  Provinces  in  sailing  their  smt'.  ,ks  and  catching  their 
lish.  More  than  one-half  the  fishermen  who  <lo  this  work  in  these  lishing 
smacks,  I  believe  three-fourths,  are  citizens  of  Canada. 

W'ho  then  objects  to  ihe  removal  of  the  tax  on  fish  ?  The  owners  of  the 
fishing  smacks  of  Gloucester  and  Portland,  and  of  a  few  other  places.  Who 
are  they?  Let  tl\eiu  stand  u])  and  bo  counted.  Let  them  give  a  reason 
why  they  should  deprive  the  working  people  of  New  England  of  the  ad- 
vantage of  an  abundance  of  fish,  free  of  taxation.  If  they  then  raise  the 
issue  that  the  fi«li  consumed  by  the  people  of  the  United  States  should  only 
be  brought  into  their  harbors  in  fishing  vessels  owned  by  the  same  people, 
then  we  ask  them  to  consider  only  their  own  advantage,  as  shown  by  the 


COMMERCIAL  UNION  IVITfl  CANADA. 


figures  of  the  tonnage  emjiloycd  in  the  fisliericH  during  the  period  of  reci- 
procity in  Canada  from  1854  to  1867,  as  compared  to  the  tonnage  onmloyed 
in  tlie  cod  and  maclcerel  fisbory  during  tlio  last  fourteen  years  from  1873  fo 
188t),     Tlieso  figures  are  as  follows  : 

Tonnage  of  vei;sels  of  all  kinds  engaged  in   tlie  cod  nml 
mackerel  fisbcries  of  tbo  United  Stares  from  I8r)4  to  1867, 


Hv«'rage  poi  year, -- 

TomiMgo  of  vessels  of  all  kinds  engiiged  in  tbe  cod  and 
mackerel  fisberies  of  the  United  States  from  IriTo  to  1880, 
average  per  year,    -  


250,000  tons. 

155,000  tons. 

^re  tbey  safe  leaders  wbo  are  so  blind  to  facts?  ''There  are  none  so 
blind  as  those  Nvbo  won't  see.'' 

Again  : — In  tbese  Provinces  lie  -wonderful  and  most  abundant  supplies  of 
coal  and  iron,  someoftbeui  among  tbe  best  of  the  coking  coals;  lloatud 
into  tbe  harbors  ox  Matnrrl'rew  Hampsliiio  and  ilassacbusetts,  free  of  taxa- 
tion, they  might  enable  us  to  develoi)  a  product  of  iron  and  steel,  and  to 
rival  otlier  sections  of  our  common  country  in  this  art.  1  >eprived  of  tbciu, 
Ave  are  8ul)Jected  to  tbe  loss,  not  only  of  tbo  work  "wbicli  migbt  bo  famished 
in  their  conversion,  but  we  are  being  subjected  in  New  Englaud  lo  tbe  loss 
of  nearly  all  tbe  heavy  nuichine  work  in  Mhich  Ave  formerly  excelled. 

If  any  State  should  propose  to  tax  for  its  local  purposes  the  coal  used  in 
its  furnaces,  its  factories  ami  its  worksbops,  Avbat  Avould  bo  the  rejnitation 
of  tbe  men  Avbo  should  make  tbe  proijosition.  If  tbe  people  of  the  Pro- 
Aances,  more  beaA'ily  burdened  wrth  debt  than  we  are,  subject  to  the  dis- 
advantage of  isolation,  of  lack  of  market,  of  want  of  occupation,  can  yet 
supply  us  Avitb  coal  aiul  iron,  Avhat  would  be  the  benefit  of  coui'nercial 
union  or  of  reci]»rocity  ?  Would  it  no  be  the  same  as  the  benelifc  of  practi- 
cal annexation  ?  Would  not  eacb  enjoy  the  benelit  of  the  service  of  tlio 
other '?     Would  not  all  thrive  alilce  ? 

If  tbe  timber  of  Canada  were  within  tbo  limits  of  commercial  union,  and 
were  free  from  taxation,  migbt  not  our  own  fonssts,  on  Avbicb  our  riA'crs  and 
our  Avater  supply  now  so  much  depend,  be  measurably  spared?  Might  we 
not  secure  at  less  cost  a  better  quality  and  more  abundant  siipply  ot  timber, 
without  injury  to  ourseh'es?  Will  not  commercial  union,  reciprocity,  or 
annexation  give  us  the  necessary  supply  of  timber  which  the  great  wilder- 
ness of  the  North  offers  us  freely,  only  upon  the  condition  that  Ave  Avill  not 
ourselves  obstruct  its  use  by  taxing  it. 

It  is  bard  to  reason  for  reciprocity,  commercial  union,  or  annexation, 
because  I  have  found  no  argument  against  citber  which  vs'i  11  stand  the 
slightest  investigation.  If  it  be  said  that  Great  Britain  would  part  wifcb  a 
valuable  province.  OA'en  if  only  ib^^se  provinces  of  tbe  Donii  ionofCauada — 
i.e.,  Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick  anu  Capo  Breton,  were  sold  to  this  country, 
thus  forever  settling  the  tisbery  question,  then  I  ask  wbat  i^  tbo  present 
commercial  value  of  the  trade  of  tbese  Provinces  to  Great  Britain  as  they 
are,  compared  to  the  value  of  the  traffic  of  the  people  of  Nev/^  York  and 
Pennsylvania,  by  which  two  States  Gov.  Andrew  measured  their  ])os- 
sibilities?  If  in  their  present  condition  800,000  or  5)00,000  people  can  buy 
but  little,  because  they  can  bud  no  marketfor  wbat  they  have  to  sell,  wbat 


10 


COMMERCIAL  UNIOX  WITH  CANADA. 


III! 


1 


would  be  the  meaaure  of  tlieir  i)urcha8ing  power  of  British  goodd  when 
allied  to  this  country,  either  by  a  treaty  of  reciprocity,  or  when  joined  by 
coiiimorcial  or  by  actnal  union,  and  then  occupied  by  a  dense,  busy  and 
prosperous  population  ? 

I  am  very  glad  to  see  that  this  question  is  being  taken  up  by  important 
commercial  bodies  and  by  the  juoss,  irrcspectivp  of  political  parties.  The 
late  political  contest  in  this  State  has  been  disgraced  by  niisp'.presoTjtationa 
of  the  policy  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  by  incitements  to  violent  resist- 
ance to  the  claims  of  Canada  made  by  hack  politicians,  even  by  some 
holding  high  places,  whose  malignity  can  only  bo  excused  or  palliated  by 
imputing  to  them  a  want  of  capacity  to  grasp  the  economic  problems  upon 
which  the  people  will  soon  be  called  to  decide. 

Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

EDWARD  ATKINSON. 


Boston,  November  19th,  1887. 

F.  B.  THUKBER,  Esq.,  Chaiuman,  Etc.  : 

My  Dear  Sir  : — There  is  great  virtue  in  an  IF.  The  object  of  my  recent 
letter  to  you  was  to  call  attention  to  the  mutual  benefit  which  would  accrue 
to  the  people  of  the  whole  Dominion  of  Canada  and  of  the  United  States  if 
arrangements  could  be  made  for  freedom  of  traffic  by  Commercial  Union 
through  reciprocity  of  trade,  or  otherwise. 

In  order  to  bring  this  main  subject  carefully  and  clearly  before  the  mind 
of  the  reader,  I  suggested  certain  hypothetical  conditions  which  might 
have  happened,  or  which  might  now  bo  brought  about.  Among  these 
assumed  conditions,  I  suggested  that  if  we  could  buy  Nova  Scotia,  New 
Brunswick,  Cape  Breton,  and  Prince  Edward  Island,  with  the  fisheries,  wo 
should  thereby  settle  the  fishery  question,  and  at  the  same  time  secure  the 
most  complete  benefit  of  a  commercial  union  with  the  peoi)le  of  these 
specific  Provinces. 

This  somewhat  audacious  proposal  has  attracted  the  attention  of  all  who 
have  read  the  letter,  somewhat  as  it  did  when  I  first  made  the  suggestion 
at  a  dinner  party  in  Manchester,  England,  during  a  meeti.ig  of  the  British 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science.  It  did  not  occur  to  me,  when 
making  it,  that  such  a  proposition  could  be  seriously  entertained ;  biit  it 
was  taken  up  in  so  serious  a  manner  by  the  gentlemen  present  at  the  dinn«»r 
party,  as  to  make  i(  seem  worth  while  to  present  this  alternative  for  the 
chief  purpose  of  at.'  "acting  the  fullest  attention  to  the  main  subject,  but 
with  the  possibility  that  even  this  method  of  adjustment  might,  on  its  own 
merits,  be  entitled  to  consideration. 

In  order  that  it  may  receive  any  cousiderfition,  one  must  wholly  discard 
all  ideas  respecting  national  pride,  political  jealousy,  and  other  similar 
conceptions,  by  which  a  plain,  simple  business  transaction  among  nations 


COMMI'IICIAL  VyWN  WITH  CANADA. 


U 


is  often  or  ahvays  obscured.  These  obBtacles  to  bargain  and  sale,  covering 
a  part  of  a  national  domain,  may  be  insuperaole.  With  this,  for  the 
moment,  let  us  have  nothing  to  do  ;  wo  will  ignore  this  siile  of  the  fjuestion 
wlioliy.  What  would  three  plain,  straightforward  businesn  men  do  if  thin 
case  were  brought  before  them  for  a  linn!  conclusioi:.  purely  as  a  question 
of  profit  or  loss? 

Would  iliey  not  first  end»Mvor  to  put  !'.»v,'n  on  pinor  all  the  points  upon 
which  they  substantially  agreed  ?  W^ha^  ■'^^  oiild  these  j^ioints  be  ?  Are  they 
not  as  follows  ? : 

A : — Tlio  different  sections  which  iiayf  constitute  the  Confederation 
known  as  the  Dominion  of  Canada  are  nou  H':>  uniled  by  nature  as  to  make 
the  Maritime  Provinces  either  u  necessary  par',  or  even  a  part  which,  under 
olhor  circumstances,  would  Jiave  liappened  to  belong  to  that  Dominion. 

B: — It  follows  that  the  policy  of  the  Government  of  other  parts  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada,  although  beneficial  to  such  other  portions,  might 
merely  be  a  burden  upon  the  Maritime  Provinces  ;  us  for  instance,  excessive 
expenditures  upon  railways  for  the  deveiopmejj  of  Manitoba.  British 
Columbia,  and  the  lilio,  can  be  of  no  benefit  to  thti  Maritime  Provinces, 
but  may  involve  a  heavy  debt,  of  which  their  share  would  bo  a  serious 
burden. 

C : — These  Provinces  are  physically  alliod  by  nature  to  New  England. 
Were  there  no  obstruction  to  trade  between  tliorn  and  the  I'nitod  States, 
tho  traflRc  per  capita  would  be  equal  to  tho  t rathe  per  capita  among  tbo 
people  of  the  Ignited  .States.  Uow  much  tlsar  wouM  be  one  can  hardly 
measure  from  any  existing  data ;  it  mi^jbr/,.  however,  be  from  twenty  to 
thirty  times  what  it  now  is,  so  far  as  one  c^ai  judge  from  tho  tonnage 
carried  by  tho  railways  of  the  United  States,  which  is  about  eight  tons  to 
each  person  moved  112  miles  nt  a  cost  of  tf8.7i.  per  y-xv.  An  increase  of,  at 
least,  ten-fold  in  mutual  traffic  would  be  the  juiuimum  if  these  Provinces 
were  annexed.  , 

D: — It  might,  however,  bo  admitted  tha^,  inasmuch  as  tho  Maritime 
Provinces  had  assented  to  the  present  oblifoptinus  of  (Janada,  the  people  of 
these  Provinces  could  not  rightfully  withdraw  from  tlie  Confederation, 
without  assuming  their  portion  of  that  debt.  Their  gross  debt  is  about 
fifty  dollars  a  head;  but  there  are  sinking  funds  helonging  to  Caruida 
which  materially  reduce  it.  The  not  debt  is,  I  helieve,  something  less  than 
forty  dollars  per  head.  On  the  basis  of  about  one  million  ])oiuilation, 
which  is  not  tar  from  tho  fact,  the  jiroportion  of  the  debt  of  tho  Maritime 
Provinces  might  be  Ibrty  million  dfdlars. 

E  : — On  tho  other  hand,  by  joining  tho  United  States  they  would  become 
indebted  for  a  portion  of  the  United  .States  debt,  now  amounting  to  about 
twenty  dollars  per  head,  to  which  they  would  immediately  begin  to  con- 
tribute in  the  way  of  taxes. 

F: — It  might  therefore  be  admitted  that  the  United  States  shouhl  pay 
either  a  ratable  part  of  the  whole  of  the  proportion  of  th<^  Canadian  debt 
belonging  to  the  i>eople  of  the  Maritime  Provinces,  subject  to  reduction  for 
the  value  of  the  public  buildings  or  other  property  turned  over  to  serve  tho 


12 


COMMEliCTAL  UNION  WITH  CANADA. 


I    ! 


1 1  S 


1  ' 


I 


il    I 


purposes  of  tLo  one  or  two  States  of  the  Union  which  would  be  constitutetl 
out  ol'  tho  Mavitimo  I'roviuceti,  in  caHe  of  such  iuinexiition. 

G: — It  mijiht  be  .'ulmittod'  tbat  in  the  prowut  sfiaitencd  condition  of 
the  (ledit  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  it  would  l)c  better  for  them  to  recoiv^e 
in  cash  the  entire  proportion  due  from  the  peojile  of  tho  Maritime  Pro- 
YJnces,  to  bo  applied  by  the  Dominion  to  the  complefion  of  its  railway 
system,  or  to  a  sinkint^  fund  for  thi-  oltiinato  pnyment  of  a  ]tart  of  its  debt^ 
than  to  retain  this  iai  distant,  isolated,  ami  discuuteuted  part  of  its  present 
donialu. 

H: — Tt  would  doutless  bo  agreed  that,  in  (;aso  of  sucli  annexation  of  tho 
Maritime  rrovincts  to  tho  United  States,  tbevo  would  be  no  further  migra- 
tion '/f  the  people  from  thesa  Provinces,  i>f  any  impurtuTice.  On  the 
contrary,  the  enltivatiou  of  the  large  ar«;a  of  fertile  land,  for  the  products 
Ol  which  no  market  v-an  be  found  at  present,  and  development  of  the 
mineral Iresources  which  would  then  ensue— would  furnish  oceup  ition  not 
only  for  the  present  i)opnlatiim,  but  for  a  lari^e  increase.  Activity  and 
entei  prise  would  rapidly  take  the  place  of  stagnation  and  lack  of  employ- 
ment, with  corn'S]tonding  inerease  of  po[tulation. 

I:— It  would  <loul»tlcs-  be  agreed  that  the  additional  cost  of  goven»ment, 
which  would  be  incurred  by  the  national  government  of  the  United  States, 
would  be  a  trille.  On  the  other  hand,  under  the  present  system  of  taxation  iu 
the  United  States,  the  eontiibution  of  each  inhabitant  is  approximately  six 
dollars  per  head.  This  ni:»y  beredueed  by  prospective  reduction  to  live  dol- 
lars per  head,  Assuming  one  million  of  the  population  to  he  immcliately 
added  by  the  annexation  of  the  Maritime  Provinces,  their  contribution  to 
the  revenue  of  the  I'niied  States  would  be  approximately  fno  million  dol- 
lars a  year.  The  contribution  of  the  increase  of  ])opulation  would  more 
than  pay  the  interest  of  the  forty  or  fifty  million  dollars  expended  for 
the  purchase.  Therefore  the  net  proceeds  of  taxation  each  year  might 
be  a|)plied  to  the  reduction  of  the  principal  of  such  debt,  at  the  rate  of 
§5,000,000  a  year.  If  we  paid  the  outside  sum,  tifty  million  dollars,  it 
would  be  recovered  by  th(»  taxation  iu  ten  years. 

J  : — With  respect  to  the  relation  of  these  Provinces  to  Great  Britain  ;  the 
first  benefit  would  be  the  entire  removal  of  any  cause  of  dillicnlty  or  danger 
of  war  growing  out  of  the  lisheries.  Great  Hritain  would  next  be  bene- 
litted  by  the  increase  of  trattic  with  the  jjeople  of  these  Provinces;  their 
purchasing  jiower  is  now  very  snuill ;  but  with  their  increasing  prosperity, 
activity,  and  rai)id  gain  in  population  and  wealth,  their  trattic  with  Groat 
Ih-itain  Avould  become  ecpial  to  that  of  other  parts  of  the  United  States; 
and  as  well  known,  the  people  of  the  United  States  are  the  largest  custo- 
mers of  Great  Britain. 

In  short,  if  this  proposition  is  considered  purely  on  business  grounds,  it 
may  be  dithcult  to  find  any  objection  to  it.  Ic  would  profit  the  peojile  of  the 
Province  ;  it  would  relieve  the  people  of  tho  nMuainder  of  tiie  Dominion  of 
Canada;  it  would  prodt  tho  people  of  the  United  States;  it  would  save 
(•reat  Britain  a  vexatious  and  dangerous  question,  and  it  would  bcnetit 
her  interests  by  extending  or  increasing  the  Market  for  British  goods. 


COMMEllCIAL   UNION  Uffll  CANADA. 


n 


On  tlio  Avbole,  may  it  not  be  the  rijrht  method  of  -otmidprinc^  such  ji 
question  as  this,  first  to  take  it  on  its  merits,  and  then  adopt  tJiat  "node  of 
negotiation  which  would  be  judicious  on  the  nierifcs  of  the  questlr-u.  Ls  it 
impossible  to  rci.iove  the  purely  artificial  obstructions  of  national  pride, 
national  jealousy,  political  antagonism,  and  party  bias  ? 

Ifsuch  a  solution  of  this  question  is  impracticabk-,  neveitlieless  its  con- 
sideration in  this  way  cannot  fail  to  briug  the  fact  into  conspicuous  notice 
thai   the  lanjcr  part  of  the  benejit,  named  may  he  secured  by  treaty,  without 
annexation,  either  hy  purchase  or  otherwise. 


Very  truly  yours, 


EDWAKij  ATKINS<:)N. 


